<html><head><title>Anarchy Africansis</title> </head><body bgcolor="DEC86F" text="990000" link="990000" vlink="990000" alink="990000"> <center> <img src="../banner.gif" usemap="#banner" border=0><p> <map name="banner"> <area coords="265,1,349,58" href="http://www.davidsheen.com"> <area coords="370,1,452,58" href="mailto:davidsheen@davidsheen.com"> </map> <img src="aalogo.gif" alt="Anarchy Africansis" border=0><p> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=12> <tr> <td width=345 valign=top> <font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=2> This is the epilogue of the Ethiopian Earth trilogy. After traveling around the country and documenting the indigenous architecture, I have learned a great deal. But I have also observed a depressing trend. Namely, that although I have seen many examples of energy-efficient and sustainable structures, I must note that most of the housing that I have seen has been very wasteful. <p> The most common type of housing in Ethiopia -- from isolated outposts to rural villages to urban slums -- is a sort of wasteful wattle-and-daub. Wattle and daub is a building method by which a lattice is weaved with wooden members, and then the grid is filled in with mud. In Ghana, the wattle and daub that I observed was done with very thin branches spaced several inches apart.<p> In theory this is a relatively decent method of construction. However, the modern Ethiopian version of it is more like a paddle-and-daub, because the wooden poles that they use are very thick, around four to five inches in diameter. And they are spaced extremely close together, usually with only a gap of between zero and two inches. Then a very small amount of mud is squeezed in between the small gaps.<p> Sometimes the layer of mud is built up to create a meaningful layer of mass. Often the house is left in such a state that the mud serves only to keep out bugs, not to provide any meaningful structural support or insulation value. Since Ethiopia is extremely hot, it would only help matters to thicken the walls up. But this is a minor issue, not the most serious problem.<p> The catastrophe is that Ethiopia suffers from a serious shortage of available wood sources. Even as far back as a century ago, the needs of the capital of Addis Ababa had already depleted the immediately surrounding countryside of its tree cover. It's heartbreaking to see so many trees be cut down needlessly -- and it's backbreaking for the women who have to haul the remaining wood from far away.<p> </font> </td><td width=345 valign=top align=right> <font size=2> ÖÔÕ ÔÐäÙÜÕÒ éÜ ÔØèÙÚÕÒÙÔ ÐÓÞê ÐêÙÕäÙÔ. Ð×èÙ éØÙÙÜêÙ Ñè×ÑÙ ÔÞÓÙàÔ ÕêâÓêÙ ÐÓèÙÛÜÕê ÙÙÜÙÓÙê, ÜÞÓêÙ ÔÞÕß ÐÑÜ ÒÝ ÔÑ×àêÙ ÑàØÙÔ ÞÓÛÐê. ÜÞèÕê éèÐÙêÙ ÔèÑÔ ÓÕÒÞÐÕê éÜ éÙÞÕé ÙâÙÜ ÑÐàèÒÙÔ ÕÞÑàÙÝ ÑàÙ çÙÙÞÐ, ÐàÙ ×ÙÙÑ ÜæÙÙß éèÕÑ ÑêÙ ÔÞÒÕèÙÝ éèÐÙêÙ ÔÙÕ ÑÖÑÖàÙÙÝ ÞÐÓ. <p> ÔÓÒÝ ÔàäÕå ÑÙÕêè éÜ ÑÙê ÔÞÒÕèÙÝ ÑÐêÙÕäÙÔ -- Ô×Ü ÑÙéÕÑÙ Ôáäè ÔÞàÕêçÙÝ, ÓèÚ ÛäèÙÝ ÕâÓ éÛÕàÕê ÔâÕàÙ ÔâÙèÕàÙÕê -- ÔÕ ÞâÙß Ñçêê âàäÙÝ ÞæÕäÔ ÑÑÕå. ÖÕÔÙ æÕèê ÑàÙÔ ÑÔ çÕÜâÙÝ èéê ÞâàäÙÝ ÕÞÞÜÐÙÝ Ðê Ô×ÜÜÙÝ éàÕæèÙÝ ÑÔ ÑÑÕå. ÑÒÐàÔ ÑçêÕê ÛÐÜÔ âéÕÙÕê ÞâàäÙÝ ÓçÙÝ ÑÞèÕÕ×ÙÝ éÜ ÛÞÔ ÐÙàØéÙÝ. <p> ÑêÙÐÕèÙÔ ÖÕÔÙ éÙØê ÑàÙÔ áÑÙèÔ ÑÐÕäß Ù×áÙ ÐÜÐ éÔÒèáÔ éÜÔ ÑÐêÙÕäÙÔ ÔÞÕÓèàÙê ÔÙÐ ÙÕêè Ñçêê çÕèÕê ÕÑÕå, éÛß ÔÝ ÞéêÞéÙÝ ÑÞÕØÕê âå âÑÙÝ ÑÙÕêè (ÑçÕØè éÜ 4-5 ÐÙàé) ÔÞáÕÓèÙÝ ÑæäÙäÕê èÑÔ (ÞèÕÕ× éÜ ÑÙß 0-2 ÐÙàØé) Õèç ÛÞÕê çØàÔ éÜ ÑÕå àÓ×áê ÑÙàÔÝ. <p> ÜâÙêÙÝ éÛÑê ÔÑÕå ÞâÕÑÔ ÜÙæÙèê ÞáÔ ÞéÞâÕêÙê, ÐÚ ÜèÕÑ ÔÑÙê àéÐè ÑÞæÑ éÑÕ ÔÑÕå ÞéÞé èç ÜÞàÙâê ÛàÙáÔ éÜ ×èçÙÝ ÕÜÐ ÞéÞé éÕÝ æÕèÚ éÜ êÞÙÛÔ ÞÑàÙê ÐÕ ÑÙÓÕÓ. ÞÛÙÕÕß éÐêÙÕäÙÔ ÔÙÐ Ðèå ×ÞÔ ÑÞÙÕ×Ó ÔÙÔ ÙÛÕÜ ÜâÖÕè ÐÝ ÔçÙèÕê ÔÙÕ âÑÙÝ ÙÕêè. ÐÚ ÖÔÕ àÕéÐ ÞéàÙ ÕÜÐ ÔÑâÙÔ ÔèæÙàÙê ÑÙÕêè. <p> ÔçØáØèÕäÔ ÔÙÐ éÐêÙÕäÙÔ áÕÑÜê ÞÞ×áÕè èæÙàÙ ÑÞçÕèÕê âå ÖÞÙàÙÝ. ÛÑè ÜäàÙ ÞÐÔ éàÙÝ, ÔæèÛÙÝ éÜ ÔÑÙèÔ ÐÓÙá ÐÑÑÔ ÒèÞÕ ÜÔêçè×Õê éÜ ÔÐÖÕè ÔáÕÑÑ ÐÕêÔ ÞÙâèÕêÙÕ. ÖÔ éÕÑè ÜÑ ÜèÐÕê ÛÜ ÛÚ ÔèÑÔ âæÙÝ éàÒÖâÙÝ ÜÜÐ æÕèÚ -- ÕÖÔ ÖÕÑè Ðê ÒÑß éÜ ÔàéÙÝ éæèÙÛÕê ÜÔâÞÙá Ðê ÞÔ éàéÐè ÞÔâå ÜÔáçÔ ÞÛÜ ÛÚ è×Õç. <p> </td></tr> <tr><td colspan=2> <center><img src="aa00.jpg"></center><p> </td></td><tr><td width=345 valign=top> <font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=2> That is why it greatly warmed by heart to visit the community of Awra Amba, or Awramba, which means Top Village in Amharic. It is an intentional community, or commune, of Ethiopians a few kilometres east of Lake Tana in the Gojam region of the country. In the last few years, I have spent time at over a dozen intentional communities, and I can say with confidence that this is the real deal.<p> The community was the idea of an Amhara man named Zumra Nuru. As a youth, he observed his father and mother working together in the fields during the daytime -- but in the evening, he watched his father sit back and relax while his mother cooked, cleaned, and took care of the kids. This was wrong, and he knew it. He decided that he would live differently.<p> He became a wandering preacher, working his way across the areas of the country that were Amharic-speaking. When he came to a village, he would ask if they needed any help in the fields in exchange for dinner and a place to sleep. As he worked alongside them, he would discuss these egalitarian ideas, waiting for the day that his words would be well-received.<p> Eventually, he found 18 other people who shared his vision. Together they petitioned the Ethiopian government for land, and founded the village of Awra Amba. Over the years to come, word spread of their experiment in community, and many others joined them. Today the village thrives -- it has grown to over 400 inhabitants!<p> They farm their own food, their spin their own clothes, and they build their own houses. They do all of this with very simple appropriate technologies. Some of the clothes that they wear actually say "Awra Amba" -- they represent for their community! And while the youth are aware of what goes on in the outside world -- they go to public schools -- they choose to stay, they're happy here.<p> They have no holidays, they don't even celebrate weddings, but they are a satisfied, content people. They struggle to eke out their living, they don't even have a guest house to host visitors; but they took us into their homes, offered us food and board. They welcomed us in, and were eager to discuss community living. They receive many curious tourists, but I was the first fellow socialist to visit, they said.<p> They practice monogamy, and they restrict marriage to men 20 years and over and women 19 years and over. I asked them how they would deal with homosexuality in their community. My translators were obviously uncomfortably with this line of questioning, but I feel it is important that we challenge each other. They said that although they have not had to deal with this issue yet, they were open to learn.<p> The story of Awra Amba has been told by television crews, and Ethiopians that have heard of them regard them positively. But Zumra's only regret is that only 400 Ethiopians had embraced the vision so far. If only they could establish a school to spread the good word, teach other Ethiopians and Africans how to create true abundance, health, equality, and freedom... but how?<p> This is why I am nominating Awra Amba as a candidate for partnership with Kleiwerks, the amazing international instructors of natural building. This is clearly an example of a project that would both meet local needs and serve as a regional model. I broached the concept with them, and they were very interested in dialoguing around these ideas.<p> The existing buildings at Awra Amba are a good deal like the paddle-and-daub structures that I described earlier. However, they use very thin branches to build the walls. They build very efficient elbow stoves to cook injera and stews. And they mud over as much of their walls as their busy schedules will allow. What most stands out is that they obvious care about both function and form.<p> Whether or not Awra Amba becomes Kleiwerks' first African partner or not, this village will go on to do great things. They have created a truly remarkable loving and sustaining community, against all odds. I only hope that with the help of their brothers and sisters in the larger natural building movement, they will become a light unto the villages -- if not unto the nations.<p> </font> </td><td width=345 valign=top align=right> <font size=2> ÜÛß ÛÜ ÛÚ ×ÙÞÝ Ðê ÜÙÑÙ ÔÑÙçÕè ÑçÔÙÜê ÐÕÕèÔ ÐÞÑÔ ÐÕ ÐÕÕèÐÞÑÔ, éÞéÞâÕê éÞÔ ÑÐÞÔèÙê ÔÙÐ Ûäè âÜÙÕß. ÖÕÔÙ çÔÙÜÔ éÙêÕäÙê ÐÕ çÕÞÕàÔ éÜ ÐêÙÕäÙÝ, Þáäè çÙÜÕÞØèÙÝ ÞÖè×Ùê ÜÐÒÝ ØàÔ ÑÐÖÕè ÒÕÒ'ÐÝ éÜ ÔÞÓÙàÔ. ÑÞÔÜÚ ÔéàÙÝ ÔÐ×èÕàÕê ÑÙÜÙêÙ ÖÞß ÑÙÕêè ÞêèÙáè çÔÙÜÕê éÙêÕäÙÕê ÕÐàÙ ÙÛÕÜ ÜÔâÙÓ ÑÑØ×Ô éÖÔÕ ÔÓÑè ÔÐÞÙêÙ. <p> ÔèâÙÕß ÔÙÔ éÜ ÒÑè ÐÞÔèÙ ÑéÝ ÖÕÞèÔ àÕèÕ. ÑæâÙèÕêÕ ÔÕÐ èÐÔ Ðê ÔÕèÙÕ âÕÑÓÙÝ Ù×ÓÙÕ ÑéÓÕê ÑÞéÚ ÔÙÕÝ -- ÐÚ ÑâèÑÙÝ ÔÕÐ æäÔ ÑÐÑÙÕ ÙÕéÑ ÜàÕ× ÑÖÞß éÐÞÕ ÑÙéÜÔ, àÙçêÔ ÕØÙäÜÔ ÑÙÜÓÙÝ. ÖÔ ÔÙÔ ÜÐ ÑáÓè, ÕÔÕÐ ÙÓâ ÖÐê. ÔÕÐ Ô×ÜÙØ Ü×ÙÕê Ð×èê. <p> ÔÕÐ ÔäÚ ÜÞØÕã àÕÓÓ, éâÑÓ ÑÐÖÕèÙÝ ÓÕÑèÙ ÐÞÔèÙê. ÛÔÒÙâ ÜÛäè ÔÕÐ éÐÜ ÔÐÝ ÔÝ æèÙÛÙÝ âÖèÔ ÑéÓÕê ÑêÞÕèÔ ÜÐèÕ×Ô ÕÞçÕÝ ÜÙàÔ. êÕÚ ÛÓÙ âÑÕÓÔ ÜæÙÓÝ ÔÕÐ ÓÙÑè âÜ èâÙÕàÕêÙÕ ÔéÙÕÕÙÕàÙÙÝ, Ü×ÜÕçÔ æÕÓçê, Þ×ÑÔ ÜÙÕÝ éÑÕ ÞÙÜÕêÙÕ ÙêçÑÜÕ ÑÑèÛÔ. <p> ÜÑáÕã ÔÕÐ ÞæÐ 18 éÕêäÙÝ Ü×ÖÕàÕ. Ù×Ó ÔÝ äàÕ ÜÞÞéÜê ÐêÙÕäÙÔ ÑÑçéÔ ÜçÑÜ ÐÓÞÔ ÕÙÙáÓÕ Ðê ÔÛäè ÐÕÕèÔ ÐÞÑÔ. ÑÞÔÜÚ ÔéàÙÝ ÔêäéØÔ ÔéÞÙâÔ âÜ ÔàáÙÕß éÜÔÝ Ñ×ÙÙ çÔÙÜÔ ÕèÑÙÝ ÔæêèäÕ ÐÜÙÔÝ. ÛÙÕÝ ÔÛäè äÕè× -- ÔÕÐ ÒÓÜ ÜÙÕêè Þ-400 êÕéÑÙÝ! <p> ÔÝ ÞÒÓÜÙÝ Ðê ÞÖÕàÝ, ÐÕèÒÙÝ Ðê ÑÒÓÙÔÝ ÕÑÕàÙÝ Ðê ÑêÙÔÝ ÑâæÞÝ. ÔÝ âÕéÙÝ ÛÜ ÖÐê êÕÚ éÙÞÕé ÑØÛàÕÜÕÒÙÔ êÕÐÞê äéÕØÔ ÑÙÕêè. ×Üç ÞÑÒÓÙÔÝ àÕéÐÙÝ Ðê ÔéÝ ÐÕÕèÔ ÐÞÑÔ -- ÔÝ ÞÙÙæÒÙÝ Ðê çÔÙÜêÝ! ÕÔæâÙèÙÝ ÔÞÕÓâÙÝ ÔÙØÑ ÜçÕèÔ ÑâÕÜÝ éÑ×Õå -- ÔÝ Þê×àÛÙÝ ÑÞâèÛê Ô×ÙàÕÚ ÔæÙÑÕèÙê -- ÑÕ×èÙÝ ÜÔéÐè, ÔÝ ÞÐÕéèÙÝ ÛÐß. <p> ÔÝ ÐÙàÝ ×ÕÒÒÙÝ ×ÒÙÝ, ÐäÙÜÕ ÜÐ ×êÕàÕê, ÐÚ ÔÝ ÞèÕæÙÝ ÕéÞ×ÙÝ Ñ×ÜçÝ. ÔÝ àÐÑçÙÝ âÜ äèàáêÝ, ÐÙß ÜÔÝ ÐäÙÜÕ ÑÙê ÜÐè× ÑÕ Ðê ÞÑçèÙÔÝ -- ÐÚ ÔÝ çÙÑÜÕ ÐÕêàÕ ÑÑêÙÔÝ, ÔæÙâÕ ÜàÕ ÞÖÕß ÕÜÙàÔ. ÔÝ ÔÙÕ ÞÛàÙáÙ ÐÕè×ÙÝ ÕàÜÔÑÙÝ ÜÓÑè âÜ ×ÙÙ çÔÙÜÔ. ÞÒÙâÙÝ ÐÜÙÔÝ ÔèÑÔ êÙÙèÙÝ áçèàÙÝ, ÐÚ ÜØâàêÝ ÐàÙ ÔáÕæÙÐÜÙáØ ÔèÐéÕß éÞÑçè ÐÕêÝ. <p> ÔÝ ÞçÙÙÞÙÝ ÞÕàÕÒÞÙÔ ÕÞÒÑÙÜÙÝ àÙéÕÐÙß ÜÒÑèÙÝ ÞÒÙÜ 20 ÕÜàéÙÝ ÞÒÙÜ 19. éÐÜêÙ ÐÕêÝ ÐÙÚ ÙêÞÕÓÓÕ âÝ ÔÕÞÕáçáÕÐÜÙÕê ÑçÔÙÜÔ. ÔÞêÕèÒÞàÙÝ éÜÙ ÔèÒÙéÕ ÜÐ ÑàÕ× âÝ ÔÛÙÕÕß éÜ ÔèÐÙÕß, ÐÚ ÐàÙ ÞèÒÙé é×éÕÑ éàÐêÒè ÖÔ Ðê ÖÔ. ÔÝ âàÕ éÜÞèÕê éâÓ ÛÔ ÜÐ ÔêÞÕÓÓÕ âÝ ÔàÕéÐ ÐÚ ÔÝ äêÕ×ÙÝ ÜÜÞÕÓ. <p> ÔáÙäÕè éÜ ÐÕÕèÔ ÐÞÑÔ ÔÕäÙâ ÑØÜÕÕÙÖÙÔ ÕÐêÙÕäÙÝ ééÞâÕ âÜÙÔÝ ÞêÙÙ×áÙÝ ÐÜÙÔÝ Ñ×ÙÕÑ. ÖÕÞèÔ ÞæØâè èç ÞäàÙ éÜÐ ÙÕêè Þ-400 ÐêÙÕäÙÝ çÙÑÜÕ Ðê Ô×ÖÕß âÓ ÛÔ. ÐÝ èç ÔÙÕ ÙÛÕÜÙÝ ÜÔçÙÝ ÑÙê áäè ÜÔäÙå Ðê ÔÑéÕèÔ ÔØÕÑÔ, ÜÜÞÓ âÕÓ ÐêÙÕäÙÝ ÕÐäèÙçÐÙÝ ÛÙæÓ ÜÙæÕè éäâ ÐÞÙêÙ, ÑèÙÐÕê, éÙÕÕÙÕß Õ×èÕê... ÐÑÜ ÐÙÚ? <p> ÖÐê ÔáÙÑÔ éÔæâêÙ Ðê ÐÕÕèÔ ÐÞÑÔ ÛÞÕâÞÓê ÜéÙêÕäÕê âÝ çÜÙÙÕÕèçá, ÔÞÓèÙÛÙÝ ÔÑÙàÜÐÕÞÙÙÝ ÔÞÓÔÙÞÙÝ ÜÑàÙÙÔ ØÑâÙê. ÑèÕè éÖÕ ÓÕÒÞÐ ÜäèÕÙçØ éÞÞÜÐ æèÛÙÝ ÞçÕÞÙÙÝ ÕÞéÞé ÛÞÕäê ÜÐÖÕèå ÔâÜÙêÙ ÑäàÙÔÝ Ðê ÔèâÙÕß ÕÔÝ ÔêâàÙÙàÕ ÞÐÓ ÑçÙÕÝ ÓÙÐÜÕÒ áÑÙÑÕ. <p> ÔÞÑàÙÝ ÔçÙÙÞÙÝ ÑÐÕÕèÔ ÐÞÑÔ ÓÕÞÙÝ ÞÐÓ ÜÞÑàÙ ÔâàäÙÝ ÕÔÑÕå éêÐèêÙ çÕÓÝ. ÐÚ ÑàÙÒÕÓ ÜèÕÕ× ÑÐêÙÕäÙÔ ÔÝ ÞéêÞéÙÝ ÑâàäÙÝ ÓçÙÝ ÞÐÓ ÜÑàÙÙê ÔçÙèÕê. ÔÝ ÑÕàÙÝ êàÕèÙ Þèäç ÙâÙÜÙÝ ÞÐÓ ÜÑÙéÕÜ ÐÙàÒ'èÔ ÕàÖÙÓÙÝ ÕÔÝ ÞæäÙÝ ÑÛÞÕê ÑÕå ÛÛÜ éÔÖÞß ÔÞæÕÞæÝ éÜÔÝ ÞÐäéè ÜÔÝ. ÞÔ éÑÕÜØ ÑÞçè ÔÕÐ éÐÛäê ÜÔÝ Ôß ÞÔêäçÕÓ ÕÔß ÞÔæÕèÔ. <p> ÑÙß ÐÝ ÐÕÕèÔ ÐÞÑÔ êÔÙÔ ÔéÕêäÔ ÔÐäèÙçÐÙê ÔèÐéÕàÔ éÜ çÜÙÙÕÕèçá ÐÕ ÜÐ, ÔÛäè ÔÖÔ ÙÞéÙÚ ÜâéÕê ÓÑèÙÝ ÒÓÕÜÙÝ. ÔÝ ÙæèÕ çÔÙÜÔ èÐÕÙÔ ÜæÙÙß ÑÐÔÑÔ ÕÑêÞÙÛÔ éÑÔ, ÛàÒÓ ÛÜ ÔáÙÛÕÙÙÝ. ÐàÙ èç ÞçÕÔ éÑâÖê Ð×ÙÔÝ ÕÐ×ÙÕêÙÔÝ ÑêàÕâÔ ÔÒÓÕÜÔ éÜ ÔÑàÙÔ ÔØÑâÙê ÔÝ ÙÔäÛÕ ÜÐÕè ÜÛäèÙÝ éáÑÙÑÝ -- ÐÝ ÜÐ ÜÐÕÞÕê. <p> </font> </td></tr><tr><td><center><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=4> <a href="aa01.htm"><b>Begin the Slideshow</b></a><p> </font></center></td><td><center><font size=4> <a href="aa01.htm"><b>Ôê×Ü Ðê ÔÞæÒê</b></a><p> </font></center></td></tr> </table><p> </center> </body></html>